Nano Review

Pyranha Nano – Paddler Review

By: Pete Delosa

I have paddled the Nano only a couple times, but the thing that I really notice is how easy it is. I am in a kayak 4 or 5 days out of the week and rarely in the same kayak two days in a row. Even paddling as often as I do there is almost always some sort of adjustment period when changing boats. It may only be a couple strokes but I can tell the difference when I go from a freestyle boat to a creek boat, to a river runner, to a down river play boat, and back again. With the Nano it’s different. This boat is just intuitive and easy to paddle every time I hop in, regardless of what I was in the day before. Maybe this is because a free style boat, a river runner, and a creek boat inspired its design. The Nano offers the playful hull of a freestyle boat with the comfort and stability of a creek boat. The longer hull allows for easy surfing of smaller river features that a play boat wouldn’t be able to catch. It’s quick, maneuverable, and very forgiving hull design makes it a great choice for beginner and expert paddlers alike. The Nano is a very easy to roll boat due to its round deck profile and high center of volume. Another thing that makes the Nano a great choice on any run is how easy it is to keep the nose up. If you ever find yourself struggling to get that nice flat landing on your boofs you should check out the Nano. Few boats out there allow you to keep your bow up as easily as the Nano does. If you want a boat that is easy to jump in and go, and that will provide you a comfortable and/or playful run down the river I would recommend the Nano. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Stop by The River Store to take one out and see for yourself.

Pros:

• Light • Playboat inspired hull, easy transition from playboat to creek boat • Highly maneuverable • Very easy to keep the bow up (boof) • Has enough length to allow for surfing smaller waves and river features • Decent hull speed • Carves well (but needs to be high on edge) • Volume distribution gives really good “pop” for aerial tricks and allows for fast, stable, predictable resurfacing • Stable and forgiving

Cons:

• In a bigger hole it handles more like a creek boat than a playboat • It’s very retentive which could be good or bad • If you edge hard enough to get the boat to carve well you are very near the tipping point. A little less edge and you can’t carve, a little more and you fall in the water. Too fine a line for most people to walk I think